Field of the Invention
This application is directed to devices, systems, and methods for enhancing training and performance of tissues, such as for example muscles, by accelerating muscle recovery and reducing the time needed for muscles to recover. The application of pressure, such as for example, compression, of muscle tissue can be provided in a continuous, fluctuating or rapidly fluctuating mode in various combinations with one or more additional muscle recovery modalities.
Description of the Related Art
There are four main factors that regulate muscle recovery in adequately hydrated, nourished and rested individuals. They include availability of nourishment elements, timely and effective removal of waste from the muscles, production and release of myokines, and remodeling of the repaired tissue.
These goals are achieved via active muscle recovery as it drives the four processes previously mentioned. As skeletal muscles are activated, they send a message to the smooth muscles that surround the blood vessels to relax. Consequently, the blood vessels dilate and circulation increases. Further factor in recovery is the lymphatic system's ability to remove waste byproducts created via the lymphatic drainage. Understanding that the lymphatic system is passive, the movement of waste through the lymphatic system is dependent upon the activation of the muscles that surround the lymphatic vessels. Therefore muscle activation is needed to push waste through the complex lymphatic system. Additionally, muscle activation provides the needed mechanical stress to induce the production and release of myokines involved in aiding the muscle tissue regeneration process. Finally, repaired muscle tissue requires mechanical stress to optimally remodel into healthy form and function. Without active recovery's mechanical stress un-repaired, unhealthy, and dysfunctional movement may result.
Light exercise including walking, cycling, swimming in traditional active recovery can be very helpful. However, it is limited and can be a negative as well. If the recovery activity is too long, aggressive, or incorrectly oriented further fatigue and stress will be created rather than positive recovery. Also, inadequate amounts or levels will not attain desired levels of recovery. Finally, there is the psychological factor of having to return to the environment associated with the difficult training session which created the fatigue to begin with.
Muscle pain, tenderness and fatigue experienced after various levels of exercise are primarily due to muscle cell micro damage and inflammation. This damage and inflammation leads to the accumulation of metabolic waste products which the body cannot clear completely during exercise or normal cool down. As the muscles continue to work, increasing accumulation of waste in the muscle leads to a decrease in performance and more muscle fatigue. In order to recover the muscle and rid the body of these waste products, these waste products must be removed via the venous and lymphatic system. The lymphatic system and blood vessels work together to flush waste products from our cells naturally. Muscular movement, however, is needed to stimulate this process because the lymphatic system is not able to create its own pressure gradient to induce flow. In this regard the lymphatic system is unlike the cardiovascular system, where the heart creates a pressure gradient by its pumping function. Often times, the promotion of removing waste is accomplished by light muscle movements, to achieve muscle contraction and increase circulation in the body, thereby reducing soreness in the muscles. Although the human body naturally excises waste that causes soreness and fatigue, this takes time, and also produces additional waste product from the lightly exercised muscles.